You are right Pogs- the USA was prepared to help- as long as we played the situation just as they directed- which was not accetable. So we had no choice but to ask the EU- which shows just how desperate we are.
Take back control? Is that really the way?
Personally I would much rather be strong allies of a strong EU- so we can stand strong without being vassals of the USA- or anyone else.
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News & politics
Johnson and Brexit
(1001 Posts)In his statement Johnson underlined his pledge to ditch the Irish backstop, and ramp up preparations for no deal, and to leave on 31st October regardless of what happens.
Mays withdrawal agreement has been binned, however in a phone call Juncker signalled the EU27s intention of sticking with the deal already negotiated by the British Government. This includes the backstop.
Juncker told Johnson that the EU would be prepared to alter the political declaration.
Ireland has declared itself as “alarmed”
Barnier signalled that Johnson’s rhetoric almost certainly meant that the U.K. was going into a GE.
Expect a huge public information campaign and a large level of spending in preparation for no deal.
Damned if we do and damned if we don't POGS.
"To be clear, Hunt asked for help from Europe because our ally, the US, refused to give us any help."
" yes indeed- that does put the UK in a very precarious and weak position for sure." ---
I keep reading these sort of comments but is that the truth?
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wanted the UK and other nations such as Germany to join the US in getting a convoy together but the UK said it preferred to seek an alignment at that time with other EU countries aligned with the UK because our view and the US over Iran was not the same, eg Sanctions.
No doubt had Jeremy Hunt joined with the US those same voices would be crying out the UK is the US Poodle mantra! Playing politics.
Pompeo quite rightly said something along the lines of the UK must be responsible for the safety of its ships in the Gulf.
That is ' twisted ' as the US refusing to give us help.
Happy to be corrected.
yes indeed- that does put the UK in a very precarious and weak position for sure.
Jeremy Hunt having to ask for support in the Iran ship crisis recently, illustrates this perfectly.
To be clear, Hunt asked for help from Europe because our ally, the US, refused to give us any help.
Not the EU Army denial again.
Junkers State of the Union Address 2017
" And I want us to dedicate further efforts to defence matters. A new European Defence Fund is in the offing. As is a Permanent Structured Cooperation in the area of defence. By 2025 we need a fully-fledged European Defence Union. We need it. And NATO wants it."
---
www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkel-emmanuel-macron-eu-army-to-complement-nato/
----
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eu-army-angela-merkel-macron-germany-france-military-european-commission-juncker-a8633196.html
The European Commission has said it is “delighted” that the leaders of France and Germany have backed the creation of a “real” EU army.
A spokesperson for the commission’s president Jean-Claude Juncker said he was “pleased” that the argument for the force seemed to be “going in our direction”.
Addressing the European Parliament on Tuesday Angela Merkel said she supported a “real, true” European army, echoing an identical call by her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron the week before.
Angela Merkel calls for creation of ‘real, true’ EU army
Speaking on Wednesday, the commission’s spokesperson tried to attribute credit for the idea to Mr Juncker, noting that he had previously endorsed such a force.
“Let me clarify that the first one who spoke about the EU army four years ago was someone called Jean-Claude Juncker,” they said.
“Memory is short nowadays in Brussels and the capitals but people here present, you are aware of who launched this idea.”
The spokesperson added: “We are delighted that both the president of the French republic and the German chancellor, with a few days interval, publicly backed this idea."-
Comment by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on EU Army.
www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_160495.htm
" But I have been equally clear about the fact that EU efforts
must not compete with NATO, must not duplicate NATO, because NATO remains the bedrock for European security. We have to remember that after Brexit 80% of NATO’s defence expenditure will come from non-EU NATO Allies. And 3 of the four battlegroups we have deployed in the eastern part of the Alliance, in the Baltics countries and Poland will be led by non-EU Allies. And also geography matters. Norway in the North, and Turkey in the South, and Canada, USA and UK in the West are important for European security. So geography and money, these are facts which we cannot ignore."
I have watched and read so much information that there has been a distinct desire by the EU Commission to have an EU Army/Defence Force. NATO is not as pro the thought of an EU Army/Defence Force as some would believe.
I cannot make a decision if ' PESCO ' The Permanent Structured Cooperation will in time prove to be a force for good as hoped or another avenue further down the line for what we think of as an EU Army.
Move forward to 2019 and as Theresa May would say ' NOTHING HAS CHANGED'
Indeed- and as shown recently- we in the UK could really benefit from better cooperation in these dangerous times. Jeremy Hunt having to ask for support in the Iran ship crisis recently, illustrates this perfectly.
I can't find any reliable source with evidence that the EU is actually making plans for a European Army. Both Macron and Merkel have called for greater co-operation, so that European forces can act more effectively, especially now that Trump has said that he wants the US to contribute less towards NATO. That's not the same as a single European Army.
Do you mean the clip from November 2018?
And yet, we now have to go with begging bowl to ask EU support with the Iran situation, as we do not have the capacity to protect ourselves. Joining up forces makes sense- just depends how it is done.
Hard hats on! The remainers will shoot this one down soon.....
I have just watched a clip of Angela Merkel announcing in the European Parliament that the EU is working towards an European Army.
Quite right petra
??
*Labaik^
living the very lifestyle Hillarious ? She's in Malaga for heavens sake. It's hardly the Maldives or any other expensive exotic resort.
You can fly there any time for about £30.
No disrespect Urmston ? I know Malaga very well.
But some obviously are Jura2 otherwise why ask the moderator to remove the previous spiteful remark......
Thank you Pantsglas1 for noticing that.
This time I’m going to rise above her mean comment and not explain (again) to justify my lifestyle choice.
Heck - I’ve just done a lengthy reply to jura2 and it’s not appeared. Nooooo!!
There are many of us on here with second homes in the EU- not all of us are hypocritical about it- and certainly no green eyes at all.
That’s the second time in a week that Labaik has gone for Urmstongran regarding her holiday home. Jealous , much?
Nothing to do with Urmstongran per se. She chose to make a comment to say that if there is No Deal, there will be No Backstop and the problem will just go away.
It is only fair to ask the person who has made such a comment without any clarification whatsoever- to explain what it means. Nothing to do with attitude of the person- but the facts are required. If the person chooses not to respond- then it is their prerogative- and others will have the prerogative of coming to their own conclusions. Fair enough- surely.
Do you believe Boosgran- that No Deal will solve the EU/UK border issue between Ireland and NI? Perhaps you'd like to answer.
How so? Firecracker?
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Strikes me as jealousy lol.
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Because some of us are sick of this 'just get on with it' attitude when people who support it can't come up with solutions to the very problems that are stopping Brexit from happening. Problems that some of us have pointed out for several years....
Why is it being pathetic and superior to ask for justification of a sweeping statement?
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